Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to our first edition of 2025. We are kicking off the new year with a packed magazine this month. Georgia Rose reviews ‘Hope’ by Terry Tyler. This book is part of the ‘Operation Galton’ trilogy and has a dystopian future setting. Hazel’s flash fiction offering has a new year theme and Penny shares a fascinating letter from her family archives written in 1853. Sally has a vegetarian take on the new year and Anthony writes about carpet bowls and St Andrews church in Great Staughton. Find out from Liz what has been happening in the Perry WI in 2024 and Canine Corner inform us about the link between our dogs’ health and behaviour. Look out for our community page and Kids' puzzle page as well as Lee’s latest gardening tips.
There is a lot more besides so enjoy!
Julie
www.bystandermagazines.com
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Mobile: 07928 778457
julie@villagebystander.com
This Month’s Contributors:
Lee Munday, Paul Kinally, Penny Young, Tony Larkins, Joanne Cox, Georgia Rose, Anthony Withers, Hazel Wright, Eugene Smith, Louise Herrriman, Sally Gower
January Contents
Editor’s Letter
P.4
Health, Fitness, Beauty & Wellbeing p.8-9
Anthony Withers - A Gentle And Reflective Game p.12
Inn Farm - Make Maths Fun! p.14
Penny Young - In True Love For Ever After p.16-17
Gardening & Outdoor Section p.22-24
Lee’s Gardening Corner p.22
Camridgeshire Fire and Rescue p.30
Hazel Wright - A ‘New Look’ New Year p.32
Beacon Wealth Management - The Financial Repair Shop p.33
A Year With Perry WI p.34-35
Eugene Smith - Classical gas p.36
Book Review - Hope p.44
Peter Lane and Partners - Beam Me Up
Scotty p.48
Just For Kids! p.50
Sally Gower - Who's Doing Veganuary? p.54-55
Bystander Community p.56-65
The Staughtons with Hail Weston Church Services p.62
A Day in the Life of a Racehorse Trainer p.66-67
Canine Corner - The link between health and behaviour p.70
The Grafham Water First Responder Scheme p,71
What’s On for Children? p.72
Nurseries, Primary & Secondary Schools p.72-73
Useful and Emergency Numbers p.73
Clubs, Groups & Organisations p.74-75
Mobile Library Times p.75
Business Listings p.76
Choose from a selection of at least 3 homemade pies, alongside a choice of potato, side and sauce. We will also have some delicious puddings on offer to finish.
Pint of draught lager or ale OR a glass of white or red wine.
Unisex hairdressers
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Give us a call today on 07733482359
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Fun With Santa Oy Lapland holidays
Stay in our cozy log cabin in Äkäslompolo, Ylläs, Finland. We can also arrange your full itinerary from the moment you land in Lapland till the moment you leave. Searching for Santa, Huskies, Reindeer Safaris, Snowmobile Safaris and much more.
For more information please contact: Jane Phone: 01480 812598
Email: jane@funwithsanta.co.uk
A Gentle and Reflective Game
I took up bowls by accident 30 years ago. As a result of writing what I thought was an amusing article about the local carpet bowls club (without of course ever having set foot in the place), the chairman challenged me to come along a have a go . So I did, and I’ve been going ever since. I belong to the Kym Valley Carpet Bowls Club in Great Staughton, one of many in the area, all having the same warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We’re serious about the game but there’s also a lot of chat over tea and biscuits. And the village hall is warm! In our club the winning team can pick up the fabulous prize of a bar of chocolate! We meet Tuesdays and Fridays at 7pm in Great Staughton Village Hall.
Being a bit of a local historian, I thought it would be interesting to look up the history of the game which has the reputation (a little undeserved) of being mainly for older folk. We all know the story of that well-known pirate and privateer, Francis Drake, calmly finishing his game before going out and setting fire to the Armada. He was no old fogey!
Historically, the game has been controversial. In the middle of the 100 Years War, for example, Edward III was concerned that too many young men of military age were playing bowls instead of practising with a bow and arrow. His solution was to restrict the game of bowls to the nobility and those with land or manors, by royal decree. Did you know, by the way, that Edward III was the first English monarch to address his Parliament in English? Edward’s successor Richard II had a similar idea, forbidding the lower classes from playing bowls. Small wonder the Peasants revolted in 1381.
It's a great game. If you would like to play in Great Staughton, contact me per email below. Otherwise, join your local club and give the game a try.
St Andrew’s church Great Staughton: A Guided Tour
January and February are often considered two of the worst months of the year unless of course you happen to have arranged a long trip to Australia or New Zealand. Here’s one idea that might lift the January gloom a little. St Andrew’s church in Great Staughton is a marvellous repository of England’s history and in this guided tour we will be exploring the architecture and history of this eight-hundred-year-old building and telling the stories of the men and women who are celebrated in the monuments, memorials and brasses in the church. History will take us from the Domesday Book to a knight of Edward I, killed in France. We’ll consider the legacy of James Dyer whose splendid monument is one of the treasures of Huntingdonshire. There’s a story to tell also of George Wauton whose tomb has pride of place in the nave. There are just three of the many memorable characters whose lives we will be recounting. The tour, which lasts about an hour, will take place on January 11 at 11am, followed by tea and biscuits. Cost per person £6.
For details of how to book, please consult the poster elsewhere in Bystander or simply let me know you wish to attend and pay at the door.
Anthony Withers aw.staughton@gmail.com
In True Love For Ever After Penny
Young
I found this letter in the Cornwall Archives – it is from my three times great grandmother Mary Anne to my three times great grandfather, Nicholas Kendall. Nothing terribly unusual about that, one would think, even that the letter has survived 170 years. However, the story behind this letter is far more interesting and once we know what happened, we realise that we are reading the most heartbreakingly beautiful love letter.
Mary Anne and Nicholas married in 1823 and had four children together – the third child –Charles William – he of Lucy Kirkham fame!
Sadly, Mary Anne developed a serious drink problem. She was unbelievably beautiful, but surprisingly lacked confidence and often made excuses not to attend dinners or functions with her husband. Nicholas was a sociable man; he was on numerous committees and with a huge circle of friends, he was often away from home. Whether the excessive drinking caused Mary Anne to become unfaithful to her husband, or maybe she was just lonely, but whichever, in 1839 she began an affair with her Nicholas’ cousin’s son, an officer in the navy and 15 years her junior.
The affair was discovered by Nicholas, quite by accident. He had repeatedly begged Mary Anne to stop drinking and she had promised that she had. But one evening Nicholas suspected, from her behaviour, that she was drinking again. He demanded from her ladies maid, the keys to Mary Anne’s bureau. As he turned the lock he could hear the clinking of bottles inside, but as he pulled the drawer open, there were two letters lying on the top and Mary Anne shouted out – “If you read those letters, we will be parted forever”.
These were love letters – one from her lover, Walter Kendall, to Mary Anne, referring to her as “Polly, my wife” and the reply from Mary Anne to Walter, similarly referring to him as “her husband”, but she hadn’t had a chance to post the letter.
To say that all hell broke loose does not even come close. Nicholas packed up the house and left two days later, taking their daughter, also named Mary Anne, with him and they went to live in Paris for two years. Mary Anne was locked in her bedroom, with her ladies maid, and an aunt was permitted to visit her and his solicitor given permission to take a statement from her. Mary Anne sobered up pretty quickly and wept and wailed to anyone who would listen to her, that she had lost the best husband a woman could ever have. Nicholas and Mary Anne were divorced in 1843, by an act of parliament, (which is how divorce worked before the Divorce Act of 1857).
Mary Anne remarried in 1844 to a man called Alfred Lees, 11 years her junior. Alfred was a wealthy man and kept Mary Anne in the style to which she had always been accustomed. Nicholas became the MP for East Cornwall in 1852 and served in parliament for 16 years and it is this to which Mary Anne refers in the letter as, the ‘London Campaign’. Nicholas never remarried and Mary Anne, some 10 years after their divorce, is still signing her letter to Nicholas with her former initials. Oh, how she clearly still loved Nicholas – the divorce changed everything in the family for generations. If they had stayed married, I doubt that Charles William would ever have got mixed up with Lucy Kirkham and end up dying tragically
Please support our small community shop, run by volunteers and paid staff.
We are just off Brampton Road about a 1�� mile from �ra�am Water Marlow car park (cycle centre), and next door to our community pub The �ra�am Trout.
We offer all the essen�als, some unique local produce* as well as local knowledge and a friendly welcome from the team.
Daily Dose Juices*
Local eggs*, bread and milk
Bacon, sausages and pies
Breakfast cereals
Fresh fruit and veg
Local Cra� Beers*
Filled bague�es
Fizzy drinks
Opening Hours
Mon‐Sat 8am‐4pm
Sundays & Bank Holidays 10am – 4pm
Wine and so� drinks
Cakes, biscuits and fudge
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Hot drinks
Toiletries & household items
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Meadow Lodge Apple Juice*
Hay artesan chocolates including “Reservoir Dogs!”*
Jute shopping bags*
Saints & Sinners jams & chutneys*
Sweets, sta�onary items and sec‐ond‐hand jigsaws
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Monthly Heating Oil Price Update: Sponsored by BoilerJuice
Price update
In the last few weeks, heating oil prices have settled at low prices for this time of year. Here’s a snapshot from early in December.
Make sure you’re topped up in the New Year!
We’re heading into the UK’s coldest months and in January and February we tend to see the peak of heating oil demand. People assess their tank levels after spending time at home and with family over the festive season. They look to the weather forecast and see they’ll need oil soon. Delivery times often extend in January as suppliers work through the greater demand. So it pays to plan ahead.
Here’s our latest tips and recommendations:
• Plan and order ahead: Avoid the stress of your delivery arriving just in time, and order before your tank gets too low. If the delivery is early, you have the room, but if times extend in the busy months, you’re not going to run dry. At BoilerJuice we have a large range of delivery options.
• Keep an eye on prices: prices have settled for a while now, but cold snaps and world events can change prices fast. Search for price charts and get price alert emails from places like BoilerJuice to stay in the know.
• Budget-friendly options: January marks a new year and you might be looking at changing how you order heating oil to help with budgeting. Services like BoilerJuice Connected can help you, by allowing you to build up a pot monthly, removing big one-off payments.
For more detailed information and to explore our services, visit BoilerJuice.com.
Proudly sponsored by BoilerJuice in association with The Village Bystander.
Gardening and Outdoor Section: p.22-24
Lee’s Gardening Corner
A new year begins, a great time to make plans for a fresh start in the garden, and to plan for another colourful season. Another indoor treat is to watch the birds come to feed in the garden, if you haven't tidied up too much already they will be there for the seeds and berries. And an exciting inside job is to check out the seed catalogues for new plants.
If you are hardy enough to still be doing jobs outside, it's a good idea to wear waterproofs and have a sturdy, comfy kneeler, plus warm gloves!! A chilly (and messy) job to do now is clear leaves and weed from ponds. Don't climb into the pond as you may damage the liner, use a rake to scrape out the debris, and then leave it on the side of the pond for 24 hours so any creatures can make their way back into the water.
Various plants can be pruned now - such as Hydrangea (remove old woody growth, and cut new stems back to a healthy fat bud). Cornus can be cut right back to encourage bright new shoots for next spring. Roses can be tidied, taking out any dead, damaged or diseased stems.
January is a time for lots of plants to begin shooting and you should see plenty of lovely green buds. Plants in flower this month include Hamamelis mollis, Hellebores, winter aconites and snowdrops provide a cheerful carpet of colour.
Lawns should be kept clear of leaves (they will if left kill the grass underneath), moss can also be raked up quite well. Then a quick bit of edging will have the lawn looking great.
Finally now is a perfect time to mark out any new areas at you would like to improve this year and then back inside to clean and sharpen all the tools ready for a busy new year.
Lee Munday
Expert HR Services for Local Businesses of All Sizes
Take the hassle out of HR and focus on what you do best - running your business.
As an experienced HR Director, I provide personalised HR services to help you navigate employment law challenges and build a strong, compliant workforce. My tailored solutions ensure you stay on track without the overhead of a full HR department.
Some of the areas I can help you with:
HR & Employment Law Advice: Call me before turning to expensive lawyers for disciplinary, grievance, dispute, and tribunal matters.
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www.eisop.com
Tel: 07480 166533
Email: kirkpatrickip@btinternet.com
As an experienced HR Director, I offer personalised HR services to help you navigate employment law challenges and build a strong, compliant workforce. My tailored solutions ensure you stay on track without the overhead of a full HR department.
HR & Employment Law Advice
Bespoke HR Documentation
Employment Contracts & Staff Handbooks
Formal HR Meeting Support
Larger Projects
Let’s strengthen your team together and improve your profit through people!
Take the Hassle Out of HR—Focus on Running Your Business!
IAN KIRKPATRICK
DESIGN SUPPLIED MANAGED INSTALLED
DESIGNED SUPPLIED MANAGED INSTALLED
Providing an end to end service for your kitchen, bedroom or office transformation
Providing an end to end service for the kitchen, bedroom or office transformation
La Cote d’Or Antiques is a small, boutique antiques shop. A genuine treasure trove, it is full of lots of interesting items. The Proprietor, Marie Helene has been in the business for many decades, so if she does not have it, there is a chance she can find it!
Situated on Kimbolton High Street, access is by appointment only, so please call to book ahead: 01480 861587
Sweeping Tom Ltd
Alconbury Weston
Book an end of season sweep –your chimney & liner will benefit from clean drying over the summer.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is looking to recruit more on-call firefighters to help serve local communities across the county.
CFRS is looking for men and women from all backgrounds to become on-call firefighters and provide emergency cover from either their home or their workplace.
On-call firefighters are a vital part of our Service and community. They respond to a wide range of incidents, from fighting fires, attending road traffic collisions, animal rescues to supporting other emergency services. In addition to responding to emergency incidents, our on-call firefighters support their communities by providing information and advice on a range of community safety topics.
They receive an annual wage to reflect the time they commit to being available plus additional payments for attending incidents and drill nights (one evening a week for two hours).
It’s a hugely rewarding role, and we hope to encourage members of the community from all backgrounds to get in touch and find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter.
Visit www.cambsfire.gov.uk/oncall for more information.
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Test your smoke alarm!
Did you know that you should test your smoke alarms at least once a month? Or that you should have smoke alarms on every floor of your home? Or that Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service do free home visits to make sure your home is fire safe?
Visit this website for helpful tips and advice: https://firekills.campaign.gov.uk/
It only takes one accident to start a fire. Fire kills. Let’s prevent it.
A ‘New Look’ New Year
Val had never really been a fan of Christmas. She wasn’t a complete Bah Humbug. She liked seeing the shops and the streets all sparkling with lights and decorations. She loved any time she got to spend with family around the festive season. However, she always found the lead up to it far too stressful – and expensive!
Besides all that, Christmases as a child had never really been good, and had not created happy memories. When her own children were little, Val had worked hard to make Christmases much more fun than her own childhood ones, and had enjoyed a few happy years. But since her children had grown up, she had experienced her fair share of lonely and disappointing times.
When it came to the New Year, though, it was a very different story. Val really enjoyed New Year. She didn’t often do too much to celebrate it. What she liked was the whole idea of having a brand-new start. She enjoyed buying a new journal and a new notebook for her lists. Part of every New Year’s Eve would be spent compiling her lists for the next year – things to do in the house, people to see, places to visit, new things to try. She imagined the New Year as a still lake, just waiting for her to dive in and begin the swim.
This New Year’s Eve, she sat down with a glass of wine and pulled her notebook towards her to begin her lists. This year, though, something felt different. The past couple of years had been tough for Val. A lot of unexpected, challenging things had happened and she had pulled on all her strength to deal with them and get through. One positive, though, of this stressful time was she had begun to look at life very differently. She now understood, more than ever, what was important and what wasn’t and she wanted to change things around.
Val opened up her notebook – a notebook full of pristine, clean pages – all waiting to receive her ‘To Do’ lists. This year, however, the pages were likely to stay pristine and clean. All except the first page, that is. At the top of the first page, Val wrote ‘This Year’ and underlined it with a wavy line. Underneath she wrote:
Live in the present moment – it’s all you have
Let go of negativity and let joy and love into your life
Find pleasure in the small things in life
Don’t be afraid to spend time doing nothing
Be kind to others – we are all one
Go with the flow – don’t swim against it
Val drew a big heart underneath the list. She closed her book, and waited for midnight with more excitement and clarity than she had felt for many years.
Hazel Wright: hazelwright1801@gmail.com
BEACON WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Your financial future is our priority.
The Financial Repair Shop
By Tony Larkins
Just like the popular TV show The Repair Shop, where worn-out treasures are brought back to life, your financial plans may need some TLC. Let’s take a look at how this could work for you, with our own spin on the format: ‘The Financial Repair Shop’.
Stocks and Shares: Like a family heirloom gathering dust, many people hold onto old shares without giving them a second thought. Maybe you inherited some, or bought them a while back and just left them there. A review could help you decide if it's time to sell or switch them. Stockbrokers can certainly assist, but for a small number of shares, an internet search of your options might be enough. At Beacon, our in-house investment team use software that provides insights from around 30 different broker views, helping decide whether to buy, hold, or sell.
Pensions: Do you know where your old pensions are, and – crucially – what they might offer you? Pensions from decades ago might still have valuable ‘extras’, such as final guarantees or high annuity rates. They should be reviewed anyway to see how their performance and charges compare.
Investment Bonds: These were popular at one time, but many of the older ones need close attention. Cash ISAs and National Savings Plans have struggled to offer competitive returns for some time. Shares ISAs, Unit Trusts and Investment Trusts should all have great potential, but can also be disappointing in terms of returns charges and tax.
With Profits plans: Many of these traditional plans used to come with annual bonuses. But now, many of these bonuses have either fallen dramatically or stopped altogether. The plans may still have value – some could be sitting on a final bonus or a minimum guaranteed value.
All the above can be reviewed and repaired where necessary, with missing elements added or existing ones tweaked if they show signs of wear and tear. The repairs needed may not be as obvious as when you’re watching a piece of furniture being restored on The Repair Shop, but they are no less important.
If you have existing plans you wish to have reviewed, you can ask a qualified adviser to write you a report of your situation. Make sure you receive a clear recommendation from them of what you should do, and be wary of those offering to write you such a report free of charge.
To speak with our local experts, please call us on 01480 869466 for a free initial, no obligation chat. For more information and useful content, visit www.beaconwm.co.uk
A Year With Perry WI
A friendly bunch we are, the Women’s Institute in Perry. We are over 10 years old now (we celebrate our birthday every year with a glass of something and cake) and meet at 7.30pm on the second Monday of each month. Over the years we have met in various places around our village from the pub to the church but are at present at the Sailability Hut at Grafham Water Residential Centre (if you visit, walk straight down the slipway towards the lake and if you get wet feet, just yell because we are right there next to you – couldn’t be easier).
As with all WIs we have a speaker almost every month. This year they have been from every walk of life: from John with the charity The Blood Runners - you’ll have seen them on their motor bikes transporting blood and other important items between hospitals; to Rebecca (and her dog Shirley) The Shopkeeper’s Daughter from the shop of the same name in Cross Keys in St Neots – a lovely lady who is there for all your houseplant needs including acres of expert advice; from building schools and orphanages in Kenya with Ian and Penny; to Colin who was a Close Protection Officer for the royal family – in particular Princess Diana; from Suzanne who founded and runs Hartford Hedgehog Rescue (a few of our members are very active in this field as Perry is location, location, location for hedgehogs); to the well-known BBC reporter Bill Hamilton who told us about his professional life including his receiving the Order of Mother Teresa for his work in Albania; to the House of Spies – a World War 2 spy training school in Godmanchester.
Oh my! As you can see, our Programme Secretary is a well-organised polymath so many many thanks to her for keeping us educated and entertained.
Of course there are months when we entertain ourselves; so, the year saw us discussing sundry issues at our Perry AGM, listening to delegates reporting back from our Federation Day (local WIs getting together with speakers, competitions etc), deciding on our vote for the WI Resolutions (we as a National and International organisation campaign on something important every year and we make a difference), and, during our June meeting Kerry gave us a fantastic report back about being our delegate at the WI’s annual Royal Albert Hall fabulous meeting. Imagine the Royal Albert Hall filled to the rafters with WI - chatting, talking, speaking, and having the times of their lives whilst helping others, our society and our environment with such commitment and enthusiasm. This year the theme was violence against women. There were lots of trigger warnings, it was extremely well organised and had speakers who were informative and engaging (including Mel B, the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire and Timothy Watson from The Archers – he plays Rob – who was onstage with Woman’s Aid because of working closely with them to get his storyline correct). What a day.
And when we entertain ourselves? We have a regular Jigsaw Jolly in February. Yes it is a competition but the comments and chat heard are brilliant – I personally loathe jigsaws so chatted instead to a member about learning Navajo on Duolingo (her kitten keeps
destroying her jigsaws), listening to random burstings into song ‘Always look on the bright side of life’ was a favourite by another jigsaw-denier, and the worthy winners telling me ‘We’re concentrating too hard to be amusing. No time to talk’ - maybe that’s why they won! And then we entertained ourselves again in August for our Summer Social. A beautiful evening saw us sitting outside the Sailability Hut and looking across Grafham Water and thinking how lucky we all are to live in such a place with such friends. It was the perfect evening – well, until about 8.45 when the sun began to go down and the mozzies began to return home from a day of inflicting themselves on the general population to discover us on their doorstep and suddenly we were .... supper! Five days later, I still had two bites which were itching and inflamed. Please visit us next August; I’ll be the one wearing wellies, a full onesie and a bee-keeping mask. We talked about where in the county has the best chips (Harbour View Cafe, Grafham Water), we were assured that the bottle of Citrus Gin from the Great Staughton monthly Craft and Food Market is the best ever (I had a sip and I can verify that comment), we talked about portion sizes in America, a whole discussion about the heat in chillies (we had to google which is the hottest, I’ll leave it to you to have that family discussion until you have to google it too), we talked about being weighed and then going for a blow-out meal, we talked about surgery and physiotherapy, being a twin, and lavender. We talked about the Olympics, and warm toilet seats (don’t ask).
In the summer we may have seen you at our Legendary WI Tea Shop at the Perry Summer Festival (this year on June 29th). There was cake! And tea! And cake! And coffee if you wanted it! And more cake! Lots of cake! Jo even made her matchless vegan Victoria Sandwich so everyone was catered for. Hope you were there, if not, we’ll see you next year ... Cake! Joking aside, we enjoyed the exhausting day and made enough money to distribute to the various charities which we support. So cake and charity – what’s there not to love.
We are clearly proud of the things we do as a group but also the support we give to our members who are doing good things in their other lives – for example a member making heart-shaped cushions for mastectomy patients, another group planted bulbs around our village, walking and doing other things for various charities.
Something which Perry WI is incredibly proud of is the working with the Perry Events Committee to decorate our own War Memorial on our village green and underneath our beautiful tree (planted after the Boer War in commemoration). The drift of poppies grows every year and we now have an Unknown Women in War outline statue to accompany our Tommy – the two are incredibly moving in our poppy field. Thank you to all who are involved in this important act of national pride.
So, that is Perry WI, come and visit us (you can come twice as a visitor at a very cheap rate –tea and cake included – then you have to join but why wouldn’t you want to!).
We look forward to seeing you.
Liz Dive lizdivedive@icloud.com
Classical Gas
Do you remember when they tried to make classical music cool? What Nigel Kennedy started was amplified by the 1990 World Cup, and the marketing people sprang into action. Suddenly HMV was full of cassettes and CDs featuring musicians trying to look hip, and a hilarious sight it was too. String quartets came off the worst, no matter how many motorbikes and designer jackets were pressed into service there would always be one member, usually the second violin or viola, who looked like the biggest dork you’d ever seen.
Although dictated fashion has changed many times since then, there’s still an occasional push to make classical sexy, and it always fails. This is partly down to the musicians, let’s just say they’re rarely interviewed twice. But why should we expect them to be interesting? From age four they will have spent every waking hour practising scales, which doesn’t make for great interpersonal skill development. The same applies to many professions, despite A Question of Sport’s repeated efforts (and how and why is that dreadful rubbish still going?) most sportsmen and women are charisma vacuums. And have you ever tried talking to a teacher?
No, classical will never be cool, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be popular. That is, unless you talk to a music snob. And mention Classic FM. Actually, you won't have to, they’ll bring it up seconds after telling you, unprompted, that they know all about music.
Classic FM was the first challenger to Radio 3’s dominance, and the BBC still haven't got over it. One recent morning in a hotel, I was blearily navigating the radio menu (anyone who watches TV before breakfast is an abomination), and could only find Radio 3. The presenter’s attempts to emulate their commercial rival was like watching a physics teacher dancing at a school disco.
Snobs hate Classic FM because it’s popular. Meaning it dares to play music people might like to hear. I’ve heard someone claim that Classic FM is acceptable so long as listeners then tune to Radio 3 to be educated. Astounding pomposity aside, would you really want the BBC in charge of your – or your children’s - education? “Oh, but it has adverts” bemoan the snobs, obviously not educated enough to understand the meaning of “commercial”. And it’s not like the BBC remains plug-free.
“They only play excerpts” continues the snob. So? It’s not the 1930s. People don’t gather round the radio any more. Music radio is an accompaniment, not an event in itself. And I believe recordings of full works have been available for some time.
Incidentally, people who take pop music too seriously behave the same way. For fun, find your local pop music snob (try shouting “vinyl” repeatedly, they’ll appear like a hipster Candyman) and tell them you like The Beatles, but only the early stuff.
Classic FM has made classical music not cool, but popular. It’s no longer the preserve of the arrogant and pretentious. And that’s why the snobs hate it.
https://eugenesmithwriting.com/
Budgens is all about food. Early morning deliveries, 6 days a week, ensure lots of fresh produce.
Everything is here to create delicious meals from scratch. We also have a great variety of prepared meals.
A wide range of Wines, Beers, Ciders, and Spirits will complement your meal.
We have a Bakery plus Costa Coffee, Fresh Sandwiches & Frozen Foods.
We’re just round the corner. Open long hours, 7 days a week, with car parking.
I read in many different genres and Hope (Operation Galton Book 2) is a psychological thriller set in a dystopian near future - the UK, Year 2028.
Here is my review:
Lita, Nick and Kendall are close friends who live together. Lita Stone earns good money from her blog and works part time for Esme in a café. Nick Freer is a journalist and runs a couple of blogs anonymously. Kendal Clarke works for Zest, a restaurant which is part of Nutricorp.
The country has leading it, a lifestyle brand rather than a prime minister. And Nutricorp, it seems, runs everything. Taking over supermarket chains and absorbing eateries into its vast brand.
Hope Villages are where the homeless go and have the Bettencourts (Paul, Caleb and Mona) behind them. A toxic family, if ever there was one.
When Lita, Nick and Kendall’s world spirals out of control, they end up in Hope Village 37.
Lita’s on-off boyfriend, Brody, used to work with Hope but left for an off-grid community. But not before there was a misunderstanding between him and Lita about someone called Jaffa.
When Lita discovers sinister practices taking place in the Hope Villages, she has to take action to speak up for those no longer able to speak up for themselves. Then disappear.
There are two short stories at the end of the book that show the background of why two of the characters are how they are–Lita’s first love and Mona’s self-control, which make an interesting addition.
Tyler is a terrific social observer. There are things mentioned in this story that are disturbingly familiar–the creep effect. As she says, it is just a story, but be warned…
Thoroughly absorbing and highly recommended. I am going straight onto the next in this fabulous trilogy, Wasteland.
Georgia Rose is my pen name and the name I use for everything connected to my writing. You can find me at georgia@georgiarosebooks.com or www.georgiarosebooks.com.
PURPLE HORIZONS
A community initiative making a difference
Purple Horizons was launched in September 2019 by five local mums sitting around a table with a cup of coffee, with the aim of raising money and awareness of causes close to our hearts.
Our vision was to create something that is not only engaging and enjoyable but also enlightening, something to “broaden our horizons” and at the same time “make a difference”. Purple Horizons was set up to organise events that raise money for local charities and increase awareness of the important work these organisations do. Since our launch we are proud to have raise £44,000 for local charities including Papworth Trust, Addenbrookes Charitable Trust (specifically for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital) and Rise Africa UK.
Each of our events offer something unique and cater to a wide audience. From art to politics to sport, literature, history to health and wellness, our events cover a diverse range of topics. We also host themed gatherings such charity balls, lunches (including our annual Christmas lunch) and sporting events, as well as hands-on creative workshops like our wreath-making for the festive season. Whether its wine-tasting or learning something new, we truly offer something for everyone.
We have certainly had some fascinating talks, from learning that China genuinely seeks stronger ties with the West, to discovering the diplomatic delicacy of eating sheep’s brains without offending your diplomatic host and pondering why there isn’t a collective noun for English sparkling wine akin to cava, prosecco and crémant.
We are always eager to welcome guest speakers with an interesting story or insights to share and would welcome anyone interested in addressing to our members to get in touch.
Check out our website for details of how to become a member - its free!
Follow us on social media and find further details about previous and upcoming events!
Graphic design by EmiliaFrostDesign
Beam Me Up Scotty
Paul Kinally form Peter Lane & Partners explores how sci-fi can help a large group of house sellers replace starry-eyed ambition with more earthly logic.
Many of those old enough to remember the original Star Trek TV series may now be considering making a most important move - leaving their starship and downsizing. With no need for lots of space, which is expensive to run and increasingly difficult to maintain, an easier life beckons in more suitable accommodation.
This is a pivotal moment for people of a certain age who are preparing to boldly go and seek out a new life. The decision to downsize and move is not one to be taken lightly, as it involves significant amounts of money and the lure of a comfortable future lifestyle. The gravity of this choice underscores its importance.
For some help in this matter it is useful to adopt the logic and emotional detachment of Mr Spock rather than the unquestioning optimism of Captain James T Kirk. For instance, which is more important, that you move house cleanly, quickly and easily or you hang out for an arbitrary selling price you feel your home is worth or which has been suggested to you by friends and family?
Without any doubt Mr Spock would advocate that moving is the more important outcome and that the price you achieve will inevitably be what someone else is willing, ready and able to pay. As Mr Spock once said in season 3, episode 9, “In critical moments, men sometimes see exactly what they wish to see.”.
Adopting logic, dampening sentiment, and engineering sales are what estate agents do every day. They are the Spock and Scotty on board the Enterprise, indispensable to the process. Just as Capt. Kirk can’t do without them, sellers need the expertise of their estate agents to guide them through to their next voyage. Live long and prosper!
If you are thinking of moving and would like to discuss any aspect of the process, Paul can be contacted at the Kimbolton Office on 01480 860400 or paul.kinally@peterlane.co.uk
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Just for Kids
Childcare for 2–11 year olds
A wonderful charity run setting based in the beautiful village of Spaldwick, and led by a fantastic team, we are pleased to offer:
• 2 to 4 years old: pre-school childcare during term time between 9am to 3pm (lunch available; pre / after school care and holiday time covered by the clubs below). Eligible Government funded places available. Each session is planned and includes play activities that help progress the children’s learning and development in the areas covered by the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
• 2 to 11 years old: breakfast and after school care (S-Club) for the morning (8am to 9am) and afternoon (3pm to 6pm) for those attending Playtimes Pre-school and Spaldwick Primary School.
We offer a relaxed and calm environment where children can enjoy breakfast; and a hot tea in the afternoon. We encourage stimulating but relaxed activities to prepare children for / help them unwind from their school day.
• 2 to 11 years old: holiday club for all (available for all children, they do not need to attend Playtimes
Pre-school or Spaldwick Primary School) between 9am to 5pm (lunch and hot tea available; breakfast and afternoon snack included).
We provide indoor and outdoor activities (children are encouraged to play outside wherever possible), including baking, arty crafts, nature walks, bug hunts, seasonal parties, and much more.
For more information, please contact: Email playtimesoffice@gmail.com or call 01480 890077 to book a place. Hours: Mon – Fri: 8am–6pm Playtimes, Ferriman Road, Spaldwick, Huntingdon, PE28 0TQ Charity No. 1032297
Who's doing Veganuary?
Welcome to January’s edition of “Sally tries not to sound like a lecture” or, to borrow Eugene’s phrase, “the village bore”. While pondering topics for January’s issue, I thought of Veganuary, particularly as events towards the end of 2024 such as COP29 and the growing number of storms brought the ever-worrying topic of climate change very much to mind. Readers of my November article on animal safety and welfare during fireworks displays will have picked up on my love of all animals and it’s here that my passion on the subject began in 2010 – becoming more conscious of my concern for wildlife and relating it to how I live.
Vegan or plant-based lifestyles are one of the increasing number of ways to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, as cattle burps and manure account for a relatively high percentage of carbon released into the atmosphere, estimated to be between 11% and 19%. Veganuary, a non-profit organisation, was started in the UK in 2014 by York-based couple Jane Land and Matthew Glover and has grown exponentially since. The aims of Veganuary are multiple, including raising awareness of the benefits of veganism, debunking myths about the lifestyle, reducing people’s impact on the planet and to protect the planet. It’s a similar idea to Sober October or Dry January, only, instead of foregoing alcohol, you’re avoiding animal-based products for the month.
I understand some of the reluctance to embrace vegan lifestyles. There’s a stigma because nobody wants to be told what to eat and what not to eat. It feels too negative and restrictive. Whenever I talk about veganism, it’s usually because someone else has brought it up, so I point out some of the positives, my favourite things about it, offering delicious recipes or even dishing them up for events. (Shout out to St Neots Book Club and my Just Digital colleagues here.)
So far, Veganuary has been immensely positive for the planet. It has saved the CO2 equivalent of 450,000 flights, saved the lives of more than one million animals, the equivalent of 103,840 tonnes of CO2, and 6.2 million litres of water. Anything that’s that beneficial for our climate must be worth a cheeky article. Besides, while I don’t necessarily agree with all of Keir Starmer’s policies in his tenure as PM so far, he did insist at COP29 that he wants the UK to be “a global leader in climate action”. And I’m nothing if not competitive. Ready, set, caramelise!
I never enjoyed cooking before the transition to a diet excluding animal products. Since then, it’s become another fun outlet for creativity and sharing a passion with others. And on that note, who’s for a winter warmer-style plant-based recipe for those of you doing Veganuary? Or perhaps you know someone else who is and wish to share it with them. This one is from Fearne Cotton’s Happy Vegan cookbook and went down a storm at a vegan pop-up kitchen at work, and with anyone else I’ve served it to. It’s incredibly simple and the flavours and textures are sumptuous together.
Tomato,
fennel and bean bake (serves 4)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
400g black eyed beans, drained
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt and black pepper
Heat the oil in a pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and fennel and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and half the paprika and cook for another 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
Add the beans, tomatoes and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Add vinegar and season to taste.
Transfer to a casserole dish if using a pan.
Combine together the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast and remaining paprika and scatter over the top of the casserole. Bake for 1015 minutes until golden on top.
Lovely served with green veggies or a big handful of spinach. Enjoy!
Sally Gower
Bystander Community
KEYSOE VILLAGE HALL
BIG BREAKFAST
JANUARY 18th
FEBRUARY 15th
9am - 11am
Full English - £7.50
Small English - £4.50
Tea & coffee included
No need to Book
JUST TURN UP
St Andrew’s Renovation Project
SECRETS OF THE CHURCH
THE PEOPLE WHO MADE STAUGHTON GREAT
A journey across eight centuries of England’s history as we explore the architecture of the historic church of St Andrew and tell the stories behind the monuments, memorials, brasses and tablets of this wonderful building.
The tour will be guided by Anthony Withers, author of Great Staughton and its People
Venue: St Andrew’s church Great Staughton PE19 5BB
Dates for 2025: January 11, February 15 and March 15 all at 11.00am
The price of the tour is £6 which includes refreshments
Book and pay on line here indicating the date(s) you prefer. or scan the QR code
Or just Email Anthony Withers at aw.staughton@gmail.com with your preferred date and pay at the door.
Visit our web page to find out more www.swhw.co.uk
What’s on in Kimbolton in January
Wednesday 1st
Thursday 2nd
Friday 3rd
Monday 6th
Tuesday 7th
HAPPY NEW YEAR
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall
9-11am Baby & Toddler Group. Youth & Community Hall
Wednesday 8th 10-12pm Bridge Club. Mandeville Hall 2-7.30pm Dance Class. Mandeville Hall 7.30-9.30pm Unleash Yoga Flow. Mandeville Hall
Thursday 9th 11-12pm Fitness Class. Scout Hut 12pm Senior Lunch Club 2-7.30pm Dance Class. Mandeville Hall 7pm Bingo. Mandeville Hall
Friday 10th
Saturday 11th
Monday 13th
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall 6-7.30pm Cubs. Scout Hut
Tuesday 15th 4.15 - 5.15pm Rainbows. Scout Hut 5.30 - 6.45pm Brownies. Scout Hut
Girlguides. Scout Hut. Check website for times: www.girlguiding.org.uk
Wednesday 15th 10-12pm Bridge Club. Mandeville Hall 2-7.30pm Dance Class. Mandeville Hall 7.30-9.30pm Unleash Yoga Flow. Mandeville Hall
Thursday 16th 11-12pm Fitness Class. Scout Hut 12pm Senior Lunch Club
2-7.30pm Dance Class. Mandeville Hall 4.30-5.45pm Beavers. Scout Hut
Friday 17th
Monday 20th
Tuesday 21st
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 7.30pm Community Cinema. Film: Thelma. Mandeville Hall
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall
6-7.30pm Cubs. Scout Hut
Girlguides. Scout Hut. Check website for times: www.girlguiding.org.uk
Wednesday 22nd 10-12pm Bridge Club. Mandeville Hall 7.30-9.30pm Unleash Yoga Flow. Mandeville Hall
Thursday 23rd 4.30-5.45pm Beavers. Scout Hut 7pm Parish Council Meeting. Youth & Community Hall
Friday 24th
Saturday 25th
10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall
Monday 27th 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall 6-7.30pm Cubs. Scout Hut
Tuesday 28th
Wednesday 29th 10-12pm Bridge Club. Mandeville Hall
Thursday 30th 4.30-5.45pm Beavers. Scout Hut
Friday 31st 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall
mention Village
Girlguides. Scout Hut. Check website for times: www.girlguiding.org.uk 7-9pm Divorce Support. Youth & Community Hall
7.30-9.30pm Unleash Yoga Flow. Mandeville Hall
All 10.30am services can be accessed via Zoom: ID 418 4055 563 Passcode: 022067
Morning & Evening Prayer are held on Zoom at 8.30am & 5.30pm respectively on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
Join us at St. Andrew’s church on Friday for an informal bit of fun with your toddlers and pre-schoolers, along with refreshments and chat for the adults. 9.00am10.30am during school term
Happy New Year
ALL SAINTS, LITTLE STAUGHTON
Sun 5th: 9.00am Parish Communion
Sun 19th: 9.00am Parish Communion
ST. ANDREW’S, GREAT STAUGHTON
Sun 5th: 8.00am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am All Age Worship
Sun 12th: 10.30am Parish Communion
Sun 19th: 10.30am Parish Communion
Sun 26th: 10.30am Parish Communion
ST. NICOLAS, HAIL WESTON
Sun 5th: 10.30am Morning Praise
Sun 12th: 3.00pm Plough Sunday
Sun 19th: 3.00pm Creative Communion
Sun 26th: 9.00am Parish Communion 4.00pm Benefice Evensong
A Day In The Life Of A Racehorse Trainer
Having spent the last 9 years of my career working for some of the best trainers in England and Australia, I decided to take the leap of faith and take out my training license. I won’t bore you with the details of all the paperwork and administration required to establish a training yard but will attempt to give you a glimpse into the working day for a racehorse trainer.
My day starts early with the first alarm sounding at 4.40am. I head off to my yard, arriving at 5.00am. I feed and check all the horses, ensuring that they eat up and have not picked up any injuries overnight. Then it’s off to the office for the first coffee of the day. I go through all the emails and review each horse’s exercise routines and race plans. The team arrives a 6.00am and we start tacking up the 1st lot.
In a racing yard, the horses go out on exercise in groups which are known as lots. In our case, each lot comprises 3 to 4 horses and this process is repeated 4 to 5 times each morning until all the horses are exercised. Whilst this is going on, the team are also mucking out, hosing down and preparing feed. This is normally done by 11.00am.
The horses are then fed again. The team go home, and I head back to the office. We use this time to do our horse race entries and send out our owner updates on their horses. Lunch follows at around 1.30pm.
On race days, I will head off to the races after the morning routine or head to the sales, which take place regularly, in search of a new champion! Otherwise, if all is quiet, its
back to the yard at 4.00pm. We prepare the horses’ beds and skip out before they have their final feed at 6.00pm.
Setting up any new enterprise is hard work, and I have been fortunate to have worked with most of my team previously; it’s important for me to be able to rely on people I trust as we establish the business. We have had a handful of runners in the first two months, and they have gone well.
My yard is always open so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to come and look around and explore ownership opportunities.
Canine Corner - The link between health and behaviour
When a dog develops a behaviour problem, many owners will contact a trainer or behaviourist for help. However, the first port of call should always be a vet. Many behaviour problems can be caused or exacerbated by a medical problem and until this is identified and treated, behaviour therapy alone will have a limited effect. A good behaviourist will always work on vet referral so they know that the dog has been checked over and that the vet is happy that the behaviour is not being caused by a health issue. If a medical problem is found, sometimes veterinary treatment is enough to resolve the behaviour problem. In other circumstances, we may be aware that the dog has an ongoing medical problem that is likely to be contributing to the behaviour; in this situation the vet, behaviourist and owner will work together to provide effective medical treatment and behaviour therapy. Here are a few examples of how behaviour can be indicative of underlying health issues:
• Pain will reduce a dog’s tolerance of stress. If you notice that your dog is no longer coping with certain situations and is showing signs of anxiety, ask your vet to check him over.
• If your dog shows increased reactivity or aggression towards people or other dogs, pain may be a causative or contributing factor.
• Pain can also increase a dog’s sensitivity to noise- fireworks for example.
• Digging, licking, chewing or scratching in odd places can all be signs of abdominal discomfort. If you notice your dog licking bedding or walls for example, or digging on the floor a lot it would be a good idea to get him checked over. If you notice your dog frequently licking an area of his body (you may notice reddish- brown saliva stains) this may be indicative of pain.
• Toileting in the house can be the first sign of a medical problem, especially if your dog has not done this before.
• If your dog starts to become possessive over food, this may be caused by a medical problem that is causing him to feel more hungry.
• With some hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism, behaviour changes such as showing aggression or being lethargic on walks can appear before physical symptoms develop.
• Phantom pregnancies can cause dogs to show resource guarding and intolerance of other dogs as well as nesting and toy collecting. Phantom pregnancies can also occur after spaying so if you notice any of these behaviours in your female dog, speak to your vet.
• Night time wakefulness, barking at nothing, staring into space, toileting indoors and confusion can all be signs of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction.
If you notice a change in your dog’s behaviour, however subtle, book an appointment with your vet in the first instance. If medical issues are ruled out, your vet may refer you to a behaviourist for help.
Grafham Little Fishes, Stay and Play Session for 0 to 4year olds
All welcome on Wednesdays 10.00 to 11.20, term time only, in Grafham Village Hall. Just turn up for free play time, followed by a short bible story, action songs and simple craft. For more details, contact Jane Rowley 01480 890986 littlefishes@eastleightonstone.com
Family Fun Friday St Andrew's Church, Great Staughton, 9.00am - 10.30am term time only. Tea, coffee, playtime, story time, singing. Contact Sylvia - 01480 812022 for more details. St Neots Toy Library - Mon to Thurs 8.45am - 4.30pm, Fridays 8.45am-1.00pm. At The Butterfly Children’s Centre, next to Winhills School and The Eatons Children’s Centre next to Bushmead School. Telephone Lyanne 01480 358350/Jaci 01480 358340. Rhyme time - rhymes and stories for babies and toddlers aged 0 - 2 years. St Neots library. 2 sessions 10am & 11.15am term time only on alternate Fridays Baby Gym classes
Promoting tummy time, sensory stimulation and adult two baby bonding. Classes operate term time only, Friday mornings : 10.30am - 11.15am, Open sessions, no booking required., £5 per session, pay as you go (Cash only)., Operates at Huntingdon Gymnastic Club, Mayfield Road, Huntingdon, PE29 1UL, Run by Beccy Chapman Bsc WAHpc, Like Us on Facebook to keep updated, search: ‘baby gym 8-weeks to walking’
Riseley All Saints Church Junior Jivers - music and movement session followed by stay and play every Thursday at 930am term time only - Contact: Samantha Toseland Tel: 07880 700894
Young People’s and Children’s Organisations Guides, Brownies and Rainbows
Kimbolton Guides, Brownies & Rainbows Esther Crook on 07713 165935 esthercrook1@gmail.com Gt Staughton Guides Lindy Bornman, email fgsguides@gmail.com Upper Dean Brownies & Rainbows, Karen Jones: email: div.nbeds@bedsguiding.org.uk Little Staughton Guides, Little Staughton Brownies Scouts, Cubs, Beavers
1st Brington Scout Group, Contact: Tim Collins - 07881 821649
Dance/Performing Arts
Linda Allen School of Dance – Ballet, tap and modern jazz from 3+ years - Spaldwick and Kimbolton Ladies ballet and tap in Kimbolton, 01480 861332, info@LindaAllenDance.com, www.lindaallendance.com Stageworks Studios, St Neots. Dance, drama and singing classes for ages 3+. 01480 223331 Motion Dance Academy, Hinchinginbrooke Shcool, Huntingdon - 07887 932294, Miss Mollie www.motiondanceacademy.co.uk missmollie@motiondanceacademy.co.uk
Nurseries, Playgroups, Pre-Schools & Kids Clubs
Crosshall Nursery School 01480 475980
Crosshall Kids Club 01480 219518 Inn Farm Priv. Day Nursery 07802 826798 www.innfarmdaynursery.co.uk
Keysoe Playgroup – Keysoe Village Hall, MK44 2JE, Thursdays 9.30-11.30, £2 per family, healthy snacks, hot drinks, biscuits and craft activity included. Lovely friendly group with lots of toys for your little ones. Come and join us. Term time only.
Village Hall, Yelden 07539 662544, yeldenvillagehall@gmail.com Spaldwick Community Room
Sarah Cardwell - clerk@spaldwickparishcouncil.org.uk
Grafham Nature Reserve & Watch Group The Wildlife Trust 01480 811075
North Beds Young Farmers’ northbedsyfcmembership@gmail.com FB: North Beds Young Farmers Instagram: @northbedsyfc Twitter: @northbedsyfc
Grafham Water Sailing Club 01480 810478
Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood
George Cottam Volunteer Warden, 01480 450809; Wildlife Trust Huntingdonshire Local Group Pat Doody Chair, 01480 392706. Eve talks Brampton Memorial Centre 7.30pm, 2nd Wednesday Sept - March. Guided walks in the summer. Grafham Wildlife & Conservation Group Sam Malt 01480810844 day/01480811654 eve
Village Sports
Badminton Club (Kimbolton)
Catworth Playing Field
Shirley Osborne 860198/Jill Strand 861508
Mary Matthews, 07717 246107 Cricket Club, Kimbolton
Mark Field, 07769 159496 Cricket Club, Little Staughton
Carpet Bowls, Catworth
Carpet Bowls, Kimbolton
Carpet Bowls, Gt. Staughton
Adrian Thrasher 07834 602086
Marge Baker, 01832 710145
Mary Foster, 01480 861594
Anthony Withers, 01480 861224. Carpet Bowls, Spaldwick
Carpet Bowls, Ellington
Table Tennis Club - Melchbourne
Andrew Vickers, 01480 891201
Janet Stewart 01480 533482 janetstewart725@gmail.com
Peter Wilkinson peteathillands@gmail.com, 07792 056 157 Tennis Club, Kimbolton
Roy Butler, 01480 861007 Tennis Club, Gt Staughton
Grafham Tang Sou Dao Club
Great Staughton Golf Society
Little Staughton keep fit
MVH Pilates - Melchbourne
MVH Tai Chi - Melchbourne
Nicole Yates, 01480 860616
Steven Treadaway 01480 812433, info@cambstangsoudao.co.uk
Derek Fitzgibbon, 01480 861234
Chris Clarke, 07739184942
Penny Hales penny@tightassets.co.uk
Rob Poyton simplyflow@outlook.com PE28 Kickboxing, Grafham Village Hall
Yoga Classes, Little Staughton, Hail Weston, Linda Tongue 01480 350345, Brampton, Catworth & Godmanchester 07733343702, lindatongue@yahoo.co.uk
Mobile Library Service 0345 045 5225 for enquiries / renewals
2nd Wednesday of the Month (R. H10) - 8th January
Diddington : Manor Farm 9.30am to 9.50am
Southoe : The Church 10.05am to 10.25am
Spaldwick : High Street 10.45am to 11.05am
Stow Longa : The Green 11.15am to 11.45am
Catworth : Station Road Midday to 12.30pm
Covington : Cross Street 1.45pm to 2.15pm
Kimbolton : Stow Road (Newtown) 2.30pm to 3.45pm
Kimbolton : Castle Gardens 3.50pm to 4.30pm
4th Tuesday of the Month (R. H23) - 28th January
Bythorn : School Lane 10.00am to 10.20am
Molesworth : Phone Box 10.25am to 11.00am
Brington : Church Lane 11.10am to 11.35am
Old Weston : Village Hall 11.45am to 12.20pm
Leighton Bromswold : The Avenue 12.30pm to 1.00pm
4th Wednesday of the Month (R. H24) - 22nd January
Ellington : Mermaid Pub 9.30 to 10.00am
Grafham : Breach Road 10.10am to 10.35am
Perry : Chichester Way 10.45am to 11.40am
Hail Weston : Orchard Close 12.00pm to 12.20pm
Great Staughton : The Causeway 1.30pm to 2.00pm
Kimbolton : Stow Road (Newtown) 2.15pm to 3.45pm
Kimbolton : Castle Gardens 3.50pm to 4.30pm
Cambridgeshire Libraries’ Doorstep Service is a free home library service delivered monthly by volunteers to readers with health or mobility difficulties. To find out more about becoming a local volunteer or service user:
Disclaimer: Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material in this publication, the publisher/editor can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors in either editorial or advertising content.
mention Village Bystander when responding to adverts
70 To advertise in Village Bystander please call Julie on 07928 778457
JANUARY OFFERS
AT THE WHEATSHEAF, WEST PERRY
WINE LOVERS, REJOICE!
Enjoy our exclusive wine offer - bottles of White, Red, or Rosé for just £9.99, and Prosecco for only £12.99! Perfect for unwinding with friends or adding a special touch to your meal.
SAVE ON YOUR NEXT VISIT!
Sign up for our email newsletter and receive 25% off your food bill in January! Stay updated on our latest promotions and treats while saving big! To sign up, look for the posters in the pub or scan the QR code below to visit our website. Join us and make every visit memorable.
Scan the QR code to find out more!
At a Glance:
• Extended, Remodelled and Upgraded Detached Family Residence.
• Offering over 2,450 Square Feet of Accommodation for the Discerning Buyer.
• Four Reception Rooms offering Exceptional Space for Entertaining and Homeworking.
• Refitted Kitchen/Breakfast Room with Quality Cabinets, Integrated Appliances and Aga.
• Delightful Garden Room Overlooking the South Facing Garden.
• Principal Bedroom with Dressing Room and En Suite Shower Room
• Bedroom Two with En Suite, Two further Comfortable Bedrooms and Family Bathroom.
• Welcoming Reception Hall with Guest Cloakroom.
• Double Garage and Additional Parking.
• Cul De Sac location, Convenient for Local Facilities and Schools.
